One of my (many) favourite animals, this puffin (though a pity for these little fish), sent from Iceland. In fact it's a holiday-postcard, which I received from a Dutch friend. The cancelling stamp reveals the fact that this was in the pre-Postcrossing era.

Sometimes I read rather negative reactions, in which postcrossers complain that the received objects aren't 'postcards'. For me as a snail mail lover these negativism is hard to understand. Although also I prefer '10x15 cms unfolded postcards without envelopes', I welcome every type of post. Also selfmade photographs arrived into my mailbox, but who am I to reject these photos? Fact is that people have done effort, for me!
Personally I think all things as a 'postcard' when it has been made from sturdy paper / cardboard, stamped and delivered by the mailman (so 'approved' by the mail company - however concerning myself: via postcrossing I'm only sending 'real' cards, trying to match as much as possible to the receiver's wishes).
Moreover, for the Dutch there's the confusion about what the English word 'postcard' means. There is no literally translation, and 'cards' in the Netherlands mean both 'kaarten' / 'wenskaarten' (folded or unfolded wishing cards) and 'kaarten' / 'anscihtkaarten' / 'prentbriefkaarten', which are single, unfolded cards showing some picture in front.

Well, I wouldn't ever dare to send the above via Postcrossing. But I guess the specific receiver (who I happen to know from Postcrossing) might be happy to receive this one!

The stamp on the left is from a stamp sheet, issued because of the 54th edition of the 'Bosatlas' (the first edition was published in 1877).

A week later I received these two handmade cards: the well-known laughing cow in an other language, al-baqara ad-dahika, and a beautiful image on the package of green tea.
And look below how the post company was wondering which way would be the best way to cancel...

Below some (guilder) postage stamps which I used and will use for my reply to Eva. The cards inside the envelope of course have to be kept as a surprise (would have been showed here if the receiver would not be following nogmeerpost :-) ).